


Great Surprises

by LaLainaJ



Series: Make Some Noise [49]
Category: The Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, F/M, Neighbors, Pets
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-14
Updated: 2016-03-14
Packaged: 2018-05-29 07:14:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,103
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6364498
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LaLainaJ/pseuds/LaLainaJ
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Caroline's beloved pet iguana is a bit of a free spirit. Her neighbor, Klaus, is not a fan of the reptile's wanderings.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Great Surprises

**Great Surprises**

**(Prompt: "KC: My pet tarantula/snake (etc) escaped and I forgot to warn the guy below me who is terrified of snakes/spiders." I went with iguana instead! Rated K+)**

After a long day at work Caroline was really looking forward to a bath and some quality time with her couch. But alas, it was not to be. She spies a piece of paper on her hallway floor, when she walks in. She picks it up, brows rising at the angry pencil slashes. The paper's heavy, edges ragged like it had been hastily torn.

' _3B. Collect your loathsome excuse for a house pet before 6PM or I WILL call animal control_ '

She curses, eyes darting to the clock. "Stupid Klaus," she grits out. She's pretty sure he's bluffing, but she's not willing to take the chance. It's 5:58 PM and the building's elevators are notoriously slow leaving her with only one option. Caroline hastily kicks off her heels, and tugs her pencil skirt up a few inches. And then she sprints for the stairs. She narrowly avoids mowing over a neighbour (but she doesn't recognize the guy, which means she doesn't see him often, which means she doesn't need to apologize) but she makes it, slamming her fist against the door to 3B with seconds to spare.

It's thrown open quickly and the angry look on the apartment's occupant's face fades as he takes in her disheveled appearance. Caroline fights to keep from shifting awkwardly, suddenly very aware of how much leg her rucked up skirt is showing.

Yeah, she probably should have taken a moment to adjust before knocking.

"Where is he?" she demands, shoving past Klaus.

"Safely corralled," he answers, nodding to his living room.

Caroline lets out a gasp, shooting Klaus a glare when she sees what he's done. Her iguana's under a laundry basket, several thick books piled on top. She kneels next to it, crooning softly, "Shh, you're okay. We'll get you home and under your lamp and I'll bring you some blackberries, okay? We'll forget all about the nasty man."

Klaus snorts, and sounds highly offended when he speaks, "'Nasty man?' Surely you cannot mean me, sweetheart. _I_ was attacked in my own home by _your_ evil beast. For the _third_ time. Surely that makes me the wronged party?"

Caroline scoffs, "Oh please. He did not attack you."

"Maybe not," Klaus mutters resentfully. "But he could have."

She's probably rougher with the books then she should be, considering how old and expensive they look. But Reptar was the sweetest and it wasn't his fault that he hadn't adjusted to apartment living. "And yes, I meant you. Do you know how scared he would have been had you called animal control? Strangers and cages." Caroline lifts the basket, reaching out to stroke Reptar's head. He shuffles closer, allowing Caroline to pick him up and cradle him to her chest. She stands, turning towards Klaus. He cringes away, kind of violently, putting several extra feet of space between them. Caroline stops short, a piece of the puzzle clicking into place. Klaus had been pretty friendly the few times they'd met up in the elevator, dryly funny and a little flirty. She'd been mystified by his brusqueness the last two times she'd had to collect her adventurous pet, "Oh, I get it. You're scared."

He makes a derisive noise, avoiding her gaze. "I most certainly am not."

Feeling a little mean, Caroline steps forward. Klaus mirrors her with a step back. And then another, when she closes that distance. Until he's backed into the wall.

"Wanna quit lying?" Caroline asks dryly.

But Klaus is a stubborn one, clenching his jaw before making another denial, "It's not fear. It's perfectly reasonable to be startled when a large lizard drops onto your couch."

"Did you let out a perfectly reasonable scream?" Caroline teases. "I'm sorry I missed that."

He reddens slightly, his hands balling into fists at his size. And Caroline realizes that she's being kind of an ass. She takes a few steps back, depositing Reptar on a chair before approaching Klaus, hands held out, "Look, I'm sorry. It's cool if he freaks you out. I totally wanted a cat but my mom's allergic to anything remotely furry. We compromised and I wouldn't want anything else now."

Klaus' eyes stay focused behind her, like he expects her iguana to catapult across the room and gnaw his face off. He clears his throat, "It's fine, love. But perhaps you could keep him enclosed?"

"Nope. He's a free range iguana. Gets moody in a terrarium. I'm slowly narrowing down his escape routes however."

Klaus looks distinctly unimpressed, "Marvelous," he drawls. "So I can expect more visits, I suppose?"

"You should feel flattered," Caroline tells him. "He obviously likes you. And Reptar has excellent taste in people. Did not like my last boyfriend. At all. And he turned out to be a cheating dirtbag, so I trust his judgement."

"Really?" Klaus asks, finally looking at her, a new tinge of interest heating his gaze. And Caroline suddenly realizes that her skirt situation has not been improved by kneeling on the floor. "So if I were to ask you to dinner…"

"I would say yes," Caroline answers. Because she's enjoyed their brief conversations, and Klaus _has_ appeared in a naughty dream or two so she can't say she's blind to his attractiveness. But still, she needs to make some things clear. "So long as you understand that Reptar and I are a package deal."

Klaus swallows hard and nods, "I guess I'll have to make his acquaintance at some point then."

It's more then she'd expected, and she feels a tiny flutter of warmth at the fact that he's willing to try, to step out of his comfort zone, for her. Caroline returns to the chair she'd set the lizard on, "I promise you he's never bitten anyone in his entire life," she tells Klaus seriously. "The jumping down from shelves thing just takes some getting used to. He likes to feel tall."

Klaus drifts closer, within touching distance, though his eyes remain wary and locked on Reptar, "Your choice in animal companions isn't a deal breaker, love. My brother once dated a woman who insisted that unicorns were extinct, and not mythological which is far more egregious."

Caroline laughs, and Klaus smiles with her, setting his hand on her back to lead her to the door, "So tomorrow? Dinner at 7."

"It's a date," Caroline confirms, her anticipation growing. "I'll pick you up, save you the trouble of facing the dragon."


End file.
